Ghana Standards Authority hosts world-renowned Chemist in Cement products

Accra, Feb. 1, GNA – A world-renowned Chemist in cement and cementitious products, Professor Karen Scrivener, has paid a working visit to the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA).

Prof. Scrivener, who is also the Head of Laboratory of Construction Materials at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, met with senior GSA management members and some staff of the Building and Civil Engineering Lab at the Authority’s Head Office in Accra.

The visit forms part of Prof. Scrivener’s tour of Ghana to learn and discuss new innovations in cement and cementitious products and also introduce Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) to the Authority.

LC3 is a low-carbon cement that can reduce carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) related to manufacturing by 30% as compared to ordinary Portland cement.

It was derived out of research from an ongoing cooperation between EPFL and partners in India and Cuba on developing low carbon and resource efficient raw materials for cement manufacturing.

In a brief remark, the eminent Chemist noted that she was interested in learning more and engaging with the GSA on standards and its testing capabilities as well as a potential collaboration in capacity building in cement and cementitious products.

The Director General (DG) of the GSA, Professor Alex Dodoo, on his part, was excited to host such a renowned Professor in cement innovations and expressed the Authority’s commitment to collaborating with her to improve the quality of testing and regulation in the cement industry in Ghana.

“Our desire is to build a country, which is not only dependent on foreign aid but to learn and incorporate lessons from the green industrial revolution and new ways of doing business in Ghana,” he said.

He appealed to Prof. Scrivener to consider Ghana when rolling out new innovations in cementitious materials.

“The GSA is willing to cooperate and support in any new innovations that will inure to the benefit of the country and the continent as a whole.

“The country has a modest infrastructure and a rich human resource base for the testing and adoption of new innovations and technologies,” Prof. Dodoo added.

Staff of the Building and Civil engineering department of the Authority had a rare opportunity to interact with Prof. Scrivener as she was taken round the various labs.

Professor Karen Louise Scrivener is a material chemist known for her pioneering works in cementitious materials.
In the past, Prof., Scrivener served as the Editor-in Chief of the Cement and Concrete Research journal for 15 years.

GNA